Flexible horse bit



Sept. 28, 1965 D, FERGUSON 3,208,196

FLEXIBLE HORSE BIT Filed March 18, 1964 INVENTOR D l// Ff/G/JOA/ Mfg@ n7/ United States Patent O 3,208,196 FLEXBLE HORSE BIT David Ferguson, 7332 Jelerson Ave. E., Detroit, Mich. Filed Max'. 18, 1964, Ser. No. 352,7 97 2 Claims. (Cl. 54-8) This invention relates to improvements in a horse bit adapted to minimize the diameter of the part extending through the horses mouth while maintaining strength and exibility for optimum control as well as a cushioned mouthpiece for maximum comfort.

These and other objects of the invention may best be understood by the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings wherein:

FIG. l is a plan View of the bit assembly;

FIG. 2 is an end elevation thereof taken along the line 2 2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the various components of the bit assembly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the internal construction; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a horses head with the bit in place.

The bit comprises a mouthpiece assembly 10, a pair of end standards 11, and a pair of ring segments 12 pivotally mounted thereon for bridle attachment. The mouthpiece assembly includes a i'lexible cable 13 of approximately ,16 diameter and of appropriate length (in the order of 41/2 to 51/2 inches) to extend through a horses mouth, a coil spring 14 having a slip-tit internal diameter relative to the cable and approximately outer diameter, together with an outer plastic case 15 having an outside diameter .of approximately 1/2". The spring 14 is preferably close Wound with pre-loading so that it tends to maintain the mouthpiece in a straight condition through the horses mouth while providing a desired degree of exibility upon the application of reining pressure, the ends being open wound to facilitate bending without binding. The plastic cover 15 provides an overall cushioned mouthpiece protecting the horses teeth and mouth against possible injury.

The end standards 11 include an inner metal pivot tube 17 and outer spacer tube 18 having alignable holes 19 for insertion 'of the cable ends suitably anchored by welding after assembly of the mouthpiece. Each of the ring segments 12 has a pair of tubular ends 20 which are preferably soldered or Welded thereto at assembly providing a freely pivoting element.

The many advantages of this bit will be understood from the above description and while a particular embodirnent has been shown and described in detail it will be understood that modifications may be resorted to Without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A horse bit characterized by a mouthpiece including a iiexible metal cable core, a pair of end standards having an inner pivot tube, said pivot tube having a shorter spacer tube mounted thereon, pivotal ring segments also mounted on the ends of said pivot tube projecting beyond said spacer tube, a helical metal spring cover, a resilient mouthpiece cover for said helical spring cover, said cable core having end-s projecting from said respective covers and means for anchoring said cable core ends to said end standards.

2. A horse bit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said helical spring cover includes a close-Wound portion intermediate the spacer tube elements.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 312,397 2/85 Squier 54-7 390,567 10/88 Cahoone 54-8 480,487 8/ 92 Beckeman et al. 54-8 636,159 10/99 Metcalf 54--9 800,381 9/05 Malke 54--8 804,700 ll/05 Bethe 54-7 SAMUEL KOKEN, Primary Examiner. ALDRICH F. MEDBERY, Examiner, 

1. A HORSE BIT CHARACTERIZED BY A MOUTHPIECE INCLUDING A FLEXIBLE METAL CABLE CORE, A PAIR OF END STANDARDS HAVING A INNER PIVOT TUBE, SAID PIVOT TUBE HAVING A SHORTER SPACER TUBE MOUNTED THEREON, PIVOTAL RING SEGMENTS ALSO MOUNTED ON THE ENDS OF SAID PIVOT TUBE PROJECTING BEYOND SAID SPACER TUBE, A HELICAL METAL SPRING COVER A RESILIENT MOUTHPIECE COVER SAID HELICAL SPRING COVER, SAID CABLE CORE HAVING ENDS PROJECTING FROM SAID RESPECTIVE COVERS AND MEANS FOR ANCHORING SAID CABLE CORE ENDS TO SAID END STANDARDS. 